The Knights are moving their best players one agonizing deal at a time before Wednesday’s OHL trade deadline.

Max Jones — one of junior hockey’s most dominant and misunderstood talents — was shipped to Kingston to reunite with old London mate Cliff Pu and best buddy Sean Day, the former Windsor defenceman.

The Frontenacs sent back dynamic winger Sergey Popov and a second-round pick in 2023 and a third-rounder in 2021 for a half year of Jones’ services.

The Knights won’t confirm any more movement, but there is significant interest in captain Robert Thomas, and Hamilton has been discussed in league circles as a likely landing spot.

This had to be done.

You win Memorial Cups with stars surrounded by a solid core. No one has to tell anyone that around here.

The Knights hope that every young skater they bring in this week becomes one of the more dominant players in the league over the next year or two.

“You’re always looking for (star power),” GM Rob Simpson said Sunday. “Some teams want draft picks because they are missing them. Our draft board is fairly good so it was more important to get the best player available.”

“If it came down to draft picks and a player,” added Simpson, “we would take a better player over anything else.”

Simpson doesn’t see these moves as an indictment of London’s last two draft classes. It is more about addressing the hole left in the lineup when four top talents — Victor Mete, Olli Juolevi, Brandon Crawley and Jesper Bratt — embarked on pro careers instead of falling back to the junior ranks.

That was a situation the Knights didn’t feel like they could overcome in one season.

The inability to convince Brady Tkachuk to join the Knights didn’t help, either.

“It’s hard to replace that all at once,” Simpson said. “If those guys were in the lineup, a lot of those other players would have had better starts or be put in better situations in their development phase.

“You’re starting to see (Liam) Foudy, (Billy) Moskal and (goalie Jordan) Kooy starting to produce more. Some take a year, a year-and-a-half and it’s time for them and they’re ready to start going.

“Part of our design was to add to our (17-year-old) group. We have great goaltending, our defence has been sound all season and they’ve had a year in the league and played in every building.

“It will make us capable of winning faster.”

The Knights’ 6-3 loss in North Bay Sunday was their first in regulation over the past eight games. They piled up points and moved up the standings while three blue-chip players were gone at the world junior tournament in Buffalo.

Simpson believes this team, although younger and lacking much Memorial Cup experience, will continue to be competitive and the last word hasn’t been written on their 2016 and ’17 draft classes.

“We have good depth in those classes,” he said. “We have players at high levels that will be able to come in and produce. It takes some time to recruit and bring them in.”

The ability to recruit — especially from Jones’ home state of Michigan — is what separates London from so many other junior franchises.

Every OHL team looking to improve called the Knights about Jones, Pu and Thomas. The deals with Kingston were discussed concurrently, though it took more time to finish up the Jones transaction.

“We felt Kingston was a good spot for Max,” Simpson said. “The Frontenacs needed a player like him. That was important to us. We want to make sure it’s a good fit for them and we’re doing these deals with a purpose.”

Pu, who had a hat trick Saturday, was traded to London from Oshawa as a rookie. This was the first time for Jones.

Both had to sign off on their moves.

“They know the direction we’re going,” Simpson said, “but that doesn’t make it easier. You get to know Max and his family. You had success together. People wanted them because they’re top players and they have winning on their resume.”

If the new Knights turn into big names and world junior talents, it will have been worth it.

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